WHAT'S HIS NAME???
Lately, I've noticed a trend. I have seen many of us referring to Jesus as "Yahweh", G-d, El, or His Jehovistic names from the Old Testament, which speak to certain qualities or attributes.
I think as students of His Word--and we ALL should be, we need to know these names and titles. They are important, and we should not reject them. However, we should not replace the Name of JESUS with them, either.
The Old Testament Names and Titles given to Israel, were given because the Messiah had not yet come. They didn't have the privilege of knowing His Name, as we do. They didn't have the option of calling on Jesus!!! in the midst of trials or danger. They didn't have His Name for salvation, and so they offered sacrifices and focused on outward circumcision, rather than circumcision of the heart.
When the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, ("For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:6,7 KJV) it was with great anticipation--and yet, he didn't know His Name. What Isaiah did know was that He would be all of these "things" wrapped up in ONE. That had to come by revelation! Israel had only "seen" God according to His attributes, according to their needs and situations. When provision was needed, He was Jehovah-Jireh. A call for peace, Jehovah-Shalom, or a healer, Jehovah-Rapha, but the need was for an all-encompassing Savior. While He existed, Israel had not met Him, and He had not come in the flesh. When He did, they didn't recognize Him, because they sought something different. I hope we aren't looking for something or someone different or improved.
God became flesh, so that mankind could finally have the simplicity of grace and Jesus. No longer do we have to offer the blood of bulls and goats, nor do we have to rehearse a multitude of rules and laws, nor do we have to go through a list of Names and Titles. Grace simplified EVERYTHING. What a gift! One day, an angel appeared to a virgin girl named Mary that found the favor of God. The angel told her that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, and that His Name would be called, JESUS. That is the only Name that we need for salvation, for healing, for deliverance, for provision, to be made righteous, holy and He is our Shepherd and God. Why would we return to the former, when those who had the former waited longingly for what we have?
We, today have the Name-Jesus. That is all that we need, for what ever we need. When we look at those Old Testament Names and Titles, it should be to find the revelation of the coming Christ, in them. Those Names are not for our salvation, or deliverance; we have the Name. We don't need to offer God ritual and sacrifice, He wants the heart--circumcised, fleshy and yielded to His will. He doesn't want us to serve Him according to lists of rules and regulations and standards--that's been simplified, too. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40,KJV) It makes sense, really. If you love God with all of your being and love your neighbor as yourself--where does sin have room to get in? Love is the great sin-killer!
Grace is miraculous! The Gift of Jesus Christ provided us with ALL that we could ever want or need--why look for more, or settle for less?
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..."
Grace,
Lisa
I think as students of His Word--and we ALL should be, we need to know these names and titles. They are important, and we should not reject them. However, we should not replace the Name of JESUS with them, either.
The Old Testament Names and Titles given to Israel, were given because the Messiah had not yet come. They didn't have the privilege of knowing His Name, as we do. They didn't have the option of calling on Jesus!!! in the midst of trials or danger. They didn't have His Name for salvation, and so they offered sacrifices and focused on outward circumcision, rather than circumcision of the heart.
When the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, ("For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:6,7 KJV) it was with great anticipation--and yet, he didn't know His Name. What Isaiah did know was that He would be all of these "things" wrapped up in ONE. That had to come by revelation! Israel had only "seen" God according to His attributes, according to their needs and situations. When provision was needed, He was Jehovah-Jireh. A call for peace, Jehovah-Shalom, or a healer, Jehovah-Rapha, but the need was for an all-encompassing Savior. While He existed, Israel had not met Him, and He had not come in the flesh. When He did, they didn't recognize Him, because they sought something different. I hope we aren't looking for something or someone different or improved.
God became flesh, so that mankind could finally have the simplicity of grace and Jesus. No longer do we have to offer the blood of bulls and goats, nor do we have to rehearse a multitude of rules and laws, nor do we have to go through a list of Names and Titles. Grace simplified EVERYTHING. What a gift! One day, an angel appeared to a virgin girl named Mary that found the favor of God. The angel told her that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, and that His Name would be called, JESUS. That is the only Name that we need for salvation, for healing, for deliverance, for provision, to be made righteous, holy and He is our Shepherd and God. Why would we return to the former, when those who had the former waited longingly for what we have?
We, today have the Name-Jesus. That is all that we need, for what ever we need. When we look at those Old Testament Names and Titles, it should be to find the revelation of the coming Christ, in them. Those Names are not for our salvation, or deliverance; we have the Name. We don't need to offer God ritual and sacrifice, He wants the heart--circumcised, fleshy and yielded to His will. He doesn't want us to serve Him according to lists of rules and regulations and standards--that's been simplified, too. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40,KJV) It makes sense, really. If you love God with all of your being and love your neighbor as yourself--where does sin have room to get in? Love is the great sin-killer!
Grace is miraculous! The Gift of Jesus Christ provided us with ALL that we could ever want or need--why look for more, or settle for less?
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..."
Grace,
Lisa
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